


Lemon Cakes

by KingAlanI



Category: Animorphs - Katherine A. Applegate
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, First Time, Loss of Virginity, Romance, Sex, Virginity
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-08
Updated: 2014-10-19
Packaged: 2018-02-20 10:51:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2426060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KingAlanI/pseuds/KingAlanI
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>By Alan Gilfoy in the world of K.A. Applegate.</p><p>Jake and Cassie’s relationship escalates, and they do it for the first time. The same storyline as The Rescue. (In this version of the war, Tom is freed and Jake tells their parents about Yeerks.)</p><p>Thanks to tumblr user bluecinnamonbunzuh for help with chapter drafts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Landing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jake and Cassie flee a mission together while the others head in different directions. Jake accidentally demorphs in the nude. This escalates into Jake and Cassie doing it for the first time.

            The Yeerks had infiltrated a public relations and advertising agency and had used it to prepare a recruitment campaign for The Sharing. The materials were being stored at the agency’s offices. Naturally, this called for Animorph sabotage. They would attack during the weekend. This meant they could work in daylight, but still have few people around.

 

            “I’d rather hang out with Marco than watch the Raiders get whooped by the Chargers,” Jake told Dad.

            “The ‘get whooped by the Chargers’ part was unnecessary,” he joked. “Have fun.”

 

            Ax and Marco went into a hardware store near the office complex. “The can-zuh of spray paint. Puh-aint,” he reported, unable … or unwilling … to fully control his use of the human mouth. They did want to destroy the ads for The Sharing, and this part would come off as petty vandalism at worst. The Animorphs could also spray something else as a diversion.

 

            Rachel started tagging the front door. ‘The Sharing’ was indeed something that ‘sux’. Since she hadn’t bought the paint, it would be harder to connect her to it. Also, though Jake hated to think it, he realized that people were less likely to give the conventionally attractive white girl any trouble.

            Ax walked around to the other side of the building while the rest of the Animorphs flew in that direction. Earlier in the week, their hawk-eyed reconnaissance team had discovered that one of the back doors looked easily pickable, plus had no security camera coverage and minimal other traffic.

            Ax got the door open as quickly as expected. The other Animorphs went through in various rodent morphs; the critters would be a normal problem for the building to have.

 

            “So this is what you humans call a shredder,” Ax said as Marco started feeding flyers into one. Ax gleefully blew off spray paint, ruining some of the other promotional objects with streaks of silver and gold. Jake and Cassie stood back as wolf and tiger, ready to fight.

 

            It seemed they would have to do that soon, as several team members picked up on heavy footsteps. A couple company employees had heard the noise. They found themselves having to deal with the four hundred pound gorilla in the room, knocked out by Marco’s fists before Jake or Cassie could strike with tooth and claw.

 

They moved on, the room mostly wrecked anyway. Ax gave his low opinion of human computing technology as he wiped Sharing-related files. Marco, Cassie and Jake were in bird of prey morphs, ready to both fight and flee. Tobias had said earlier that Rachel had joined him in providing air cover outside.

Inside, Ax had demorphed, and someone in the building knew exactly what they saw. “Chapman, we’ve got bandits at the office,” someone yelled into a cellphone. A free human would freak out, maybe report the intruders as burglars or something like that.

 

((Haul butt,)) Jake ordered.

((Yes, Prince Jake,)) Ax responded.

((Don’t call him ‘prince’,)) Marco interjected.

((Marco!)) Jake yelled in thoughtspeak.

((Polo!)) he responded. _That happens every time. Jake and Marco knew each other since they were babies. Yet Jake still didn’t see it coming._

 

Jake and Cassie flew out of the nearest open windows. He was afraid Tobias and Rachel hadn’t been watching that part of the building. Marco stayed behind while Ax morphed to harrier.

 

Jake and Cassie started to get worried when they couldn’t locate the other four Animorphs. They kept looking but still didn’t find them. At least they heard about them. Rachel’s thoughtspeak was faint but recognizable. ((I gotta get home … Marco is with Tobias and Ax watching the building.))

It was time for Jake and Cassie to land somewhere and demorph. For them, it was getting awfully close to two hours. They dived towards the nearest rooftop. Even in the panic of a mission, they recognized there was nothing quite like this rush in all their experiences as Animorphs.

 

Jake had too few minutes left. Feathers melting into skin and bones realigning was now an experience he was used to and glad to have. Yet once his skin reformed, he felt wind rushing across all of it, not just the lower arms and legs. In the haste to not become a nothlit, he had forgotten to remorph his clothes.

 

He was no longer a falcon, but Cassie was still an osprey. She had morphed a couple minutes after him, so neither of them were worried about her. ((Jake! Did you make it back to human?)) she said, her thoughtspeak tinged with panic.

“Yes,” he yelled back. She flew towards the sound of his voice. “But there’s a problem,” he said. He had expected to sound more embarrassed, being naked in front of a girl, and not just any girl.

((I don’t think it’s a problem at all,)) she said. Jake thought her tone was bravery mixed with nervousness. ((You look great,)) she added, probably making full use of bird vision.

Right now she felt downright beautiful to Jake. She always was especially beautiful when morphing, which all of the Animorphs recognized. This time, her receding feathers traced a pattern over her whole body except for her legs, and disappeared all at once as her purple bathing suit reappeared.

 

“Kiss me,” she asked. “ _My_ clothes are still on,” she pointed out. “Though that could change.” Jake didn’t need much prompting. Few teenage boys would, even those living far more normal lives. Pressing against each other to press their lips together felt even better without his clothes in the way. She sure seemed to enjoy touching the middle of his back and tracing her way down, though Jake was several inches taller than her.

Jake felt his hardness press up against the turquoise stripe at the bottom of her one-piece bathing suit. Jake saw its head appear. _I was glad that morphing regenerated foreskin_ , he thought as he considered its exact form.

“Maybe this building isn’t the only thing I’m going to get on top of today,” she added as she reached for the straps at the top of her swimsuit. It started to come down easily enough, revealing a chest that all of Jake’s being was attracted to. _Including his mouth._ Cassie’s smile made clear what she thought of that. Maybe she wasn’t particularly large up top, but to Jake she was perfect. The swimsuit did have trouble getting past her wide hips. Jake’s hands were glad to help with this as his tongue also started to go lower on her body.

 

As Cassie’s clothes finished falling away, his fingers found damp hair between her legs. They still found it hard to believe that they were both completely naked in front of each other. “I suppose sort of public sex isn’t that risky by our standards,” Jake told her.

“Let’s do it,” she replied with a smile. Jake used the swimsuit as a blanket, and her body found his. She slid onto him easily as she pressed her hips down, and they fit together even more closely as she leaned over to kiss him. Her curly hair bounced as she swayed above him. Jake responded by caressing her butt with his hands. Jake felt himself about to explode. At that moment, Cassie pushed downwards on him as he pressed up into her.

 

Jake felt there was no sight quite like his sperm dripping out of Cassie, especially since they didn’t have to worry about what that meant. She could morph and demorph to make it go away, and did exactly that.

 

Eventually Jake heard another familiar voice. ((Prince Jake, I did not contact you because you were clearly focused on a mating ritual,)) Ax said from above. _Well, that was one way to put it._ Right now, Jake did not care what Ax called him, after how Cassie had just been addressing him for the past several minutes. He kissed her one more time before she morphed osprey to fly back home.

((Cuntgratulations,)) Marco added. It turned out they had landed on top of a clothing store, and while he was waiting, Marco had gotten him a T-shirt and shorts to wear back home.

 

Jake managed to control the spring in his step as he walked back into the house. Dad greeted him with a game report. “Missed a hell of a game, son.”

“Still think I found something better to do,” he insisted. _And did someone._

He went on. “Yeah, the first half was ugly, but the second was better. Field goal in the third made it an eight point game…”

“Miss a two point conversion?” Jake wondered sarcastically. He was doing a surprisingly good job of acting normally for trying to cover up both a battle and a date.

“Nah, they made one after a TD in the fourth. Tie game. Chargers kicker was the one blowing things,” he replied. _Much rather have Cassie blowing_ , Jake thought, still keeping the salacious comments to himself.

“Some great action…” _the jokes write themselves_ “…last few minutes of the game, only score is a Raiders field goal. That’s the game,” he said triumphantly.

“Defense did their job, glad to hear the offense finally did theirs,” he sarcastically congratulated. _Talk about finally doing something…With Cassie rubbing on me, some of Marco’s humor was rubbing off on me._

 

Jake found Mom at her computer. “Leftover pasta in the fridge,” she said absentmindedly, focused on whatever it was she was writing. _Not a bad idea._ While he was waiting on the microwave, he got the idea to bake something. After finishing his second plate, he warned Mom that he was going to make a mess of the kitchen. He eventually produced a sweet loaf topped with yellow frosting to give to the young woman who was most definitely his girlfriend.


	2. The Forest

            The Animorphs had successfully spied on a meeting of The Sharing without causing a commotion. Jake’s brother Tom had been sucked into that organization and the Yeerks. The Animorphs’ first mission had been to free him. Here, that had been a success, and one of the results was a free Tom’s advice on how to infiltrate the Yeerk front organization.

 

            Jake and Tom’s parents had been told the truth. To the rest of the world, Tom had to fake his death. He was now hiding in the basement. At the moment, the rest of the Animorphs were in Cassie’s barn planning a mission to act on their most recent collection of intelligence. Jake started with a summary of that information. “So a bunch of Sharing members are talking about a visit from someone higher up tomorrow afternoon, Chapman and Visser Three already come around all the time. Must be Visser Three’s boss or someone working for them.”

            “Visser One or Two?” Marco guessed.

            Ax corrected him. “They would outrank him, but Vissers and Sub-Vissers don’t answer to each other unless they’re assigned to the same mission.” _And sometimes not even then, judging by what the Animorphs had seen of Yeerk internal politics, as brutal as their external actions._ “They all answer to the Council of Thirteen, which includes the Yeerk emperor.” The Andalite academy had taught him plenty about the enemy.

 

            “Okay, we’ve got to make Visser Three look bad in front of them,” Jake pointed out.

            “So let him be himself?” Marco said with a blend of seriousness and humor that he was an expert at. _Just let them see what an egotistical, power-hungry, arrogant fool they’d put in charge of invading Earth._

            “I’m guessing this meeting would be aboard his Blade ship,” Cassie said.

            “That seems likely,” Ax agreed.

            “Now how do we sneak on it?” Cassie wondered.

            “Use our Hork-Bajir morphs and blend in,” Rachel suggested without objections.

 

            Jake held Cassie closer, and she rested her head on his shoulder. “I believe Prince Jake wishes. Ishes. To be alone with Cassie,” Ax announced.

            “Did it take your superior Andalite intellect to figure that out, Ax-man?” Marco added.

            “Is that what humans call sar-casm? Casm.” Ax wondered.

            “Yes, but being Marco, the joke wasn’t particularly good,” Rachel explained.

 

            “Hey, Black Widow, at least she has a human boyfriend,” Marco said angrily. Rachel waved her left middle finger in Marco’s face.

            ((Not cool!)) her hawk lover shouted.

            “That seemed inadvisable,” Ax understated.

            “Yeah, I shouldn’t have taken it out on Hawkeye,” Marco admitted. So he apologized before Jake or Cassie had a chance to pile on. They had other things on their mind and wanted to stay in a good mood.

 

            Jake and Cassie were holding hands as they were the last ones to leave the barn. Tobias and Ax knew these woods well, and hadn’t seen anybody unexpected around. “This forest is beautiful, but it’s even more beautiful with you in it,” Jake said.

            Cassie couldn’t help but giggle a bit. “That’s one of the things I like about you, Jake – even as messy as I am, you still think I’m pretty and you mean it.”

            “That’s who you really are,” Jake said. “Better than acting like someone you’re not.”

 _Unless a mission calls for such behavior while in morph._ But it was too nice a scene to talk about work right now.There was a setting sun in front of them. Day enough so that they could still see each other, night enough so that anyone else would have trouble doing so.

“Isn’t it? But I bet you really want to see the forest between my legs,” she said, rushing to plant a kiss on him before he could object, not that he would have.

“We’re always so worried about each other, but we know we’re safe now. Ah, Cass, blow me,” he said. He was using the tone of voice of the Animorphs’ serious responsible leader, but with context giving it a very different meaning. She smiled at the thought of this new experience with her boyfriend’s body. She awkwardly tugged at the waistband of his gym shorts, gripping his boxers in the same motion. His penis swung free mostly hard.

Jake rapidly got even harder as she put her mouth on him. She was simply sucking his member, and his mouth simply hung open. He felt his release coming – head and eyes thrown back, sack tightening. Out of pure pleasure, he started quietly chanting her name. “Cass…Cass…Cass…” She didn’t expect his release, and most of the seed went into her mouth. Jake reveled in watching the motion of her throat as his load went down it.

“Now you want to explore that forest, don’t you?” she said as she dropped her jeans, apparently not bothering with underwear today. Jake hugged her waist and lifted her up as if to carry her. It was a unique smell, one he figured he could very easily grow accustomed to. He wanted to find out what he thought of the taste. He did carry her, to a bed of pine needles a few feet further into the forest. He knelt down to lick her there; all he knew was to make sure his tongue reached the top. Whatever he was doing, it was sure working for Cassie, judging by the way she was moving around and breathing heavily.

The both pulled their shirts over their heads as he moved to go back inside her. To watch his tip part her lower lips was magical, then seeing himself sink all the way into her. He lasted longer than the last time, probably because he had just gone off in her mouth only a few minutes ago. That meant more time in which they got to watch the intensity build on each other’s faces. He felt himself sweating and shaking before he filled her, even in this cool breeze of a winter-spring evening. Tomorrow would be much less fun for them.


	3. The Parents

            Tom figured out what Jake and Cassie had been up to before any of their parents did. Jake went down to Tom’s basement cave to report on the mission plans. “Usually a team meeting leaves you worried about the mission,” Tom said as he saw his younger brother. “You seem to be in a good mood.”

            “Yeah, I am,” Jake replied, reflexively cracking a smile.

            “Lemme guess, Cassie put out?” Tom said with a wink and a wicked grin.

“I wouldn't phrase it like that,” Jake said defensively. He realized that by only questioning the choice of words, he had made a de facto admission.

“Better tell Mom and Dad, so you don’t get busted for lying and can control the fallout,” Tom advised.

“After this mission,” Jake said, mostly agreeing.

 

The Animorphs flew to an out-of-the-way part of the mountains that the Yeerks often used for moving distinctly alien beings and things. Tobias stayed behind, because he couldn’t be of much help. As the Animorphs had hoped, it was full of Controllers preparing for a trip into orbit to attend the meeting on the Blade ship. As they also hoped, their Hork-Bajir morphs were able to blend in. Ax had generated realistic Yeerkish names for them to use if questioned.

 

The Yeerk bigshot controlled the body of a creature that looked sort of like an Andalite but wasn’t. Its tail wasn’t bladed, and from what Jake could tell of Andalite culture, that made all the difference in the galaxy. The rapid pace of its thoughtspeak would take some getting used to, the Animorphs thought as the creature announced its presence.

 

((Welcome to Earth orbit, Inspector,)) Visser Three broadcasted.

((The Andalite bandits must still be at large, for if they had been killed or _captured_ , I am certain you would have let the whole Yeerk Empire know,)) the inspector countered.

 

((Did that thing just use sarcasm?)) Marco whispered in amazement.

((I’m more concerned about what Yeerks mean by ‘captured’, and the fact that they’re talking about us,)) Jake told him, ever the responsible one.

 

((They are not causing us any serious damage,)) the Visser said defensively. _As the Animorphs had feared._

((Yet they are clearly slowing you down,)) the inspector pointed out. _This was the Animorphs’ hope._ ((The Council expected you to finish the job before the Andalites showed up again!)) _The Animorphs dreamed of buying enough time for that._ ((Visser One discovered this planet, created The Sharing, handed Earth to you with a shining Kandrona sun. Even so, you have not yet succeeded!))

 

((Can’t discover Earth. People already here.)) Cassie muttered sarcastically. (( _Filshiging dapsens_ want to outdo humans on killing and enslaving.)) The Yeerkish for _motherfucking assholes_ seemed appropriately inappropriate. For once, Marco agreed with her, reminded that Cassie’s kindness did not make her weak.

((It is believed that Visser One has a human host, but this was previously unknown,)) Ax reported. ((Prince Jake’s brother might be able to make more of this information.))

 

((I need more resources,)) this Visser protested.

((The Council must be confident that you could make good use of them. The Empire must be able to carry out the maneuvers without Andalite interference. And we both must contend with the vagaries of Z-space,)) the inspector objected.

 

Visser Three proffered a lead to his boss’ representative. ((The Andalite bandits might be interested in the place where I defeated beast Elfangor)). _I. Of course._

((Murdered him!)) Ax said in public thoughtspeak. He’d lost his calm as his brother’s killer gloated about the act. The human Animorphs were also disturbed by the reminder of a horrible night that had begat many others. Ax charged the Visser, instinctively swinging a tail blade, but Hork-Bajir tails were no match for Andalite ones. Ax’s oozed dark red. However, he had thought to lower his head and gore the Visser’s side.

 

((You can’t even keep the Andalite bandits off your ship!)) the inspector quite validly complained. It seemed everybody had Dracon beams drawn. The Animorphs had picked some up while blending in as Hork-Bajir Controllers. They had often escaped a battle by creating a hostage situation, and needed that to work again. To shoot first would mean their deaths, taking out some important Yeerks but not stopping the invasion.

 

Visser Three began to morph. The Animorphs didn’t want to find out what alien monster he was going to fit into this confined space. However, he was simply assuming one of his human forms to morph away the injury, deny that bargaining chip.

 

This moment of confusion allowed Ax to make a break for it, the Visser’s red-banded personal Hork-Bajir in hot pursuit. They were shooting to stun. Even with intent of torture, being wanted alive often gave the Animorphs an opportunity. Ax’s comrades were ‘accidentally’ firing at the guards on full power, and rushed to join his escape. ((The inspector moves as fast as he talks! Don’t try targeting him!)) Jake ordered. Rachel slammed wrist blades into the head of someone about to catch Ax.

 

The group stormed their way into an escape pod. ((We don’t have time to try to show this to one of your human princes,)) Ax pointed out.

((Yes, Aristh Aximili,)) Jake agreed.

((Yeah, making it to Buckingham Palace is as unlikely as the White House,)) Marco said to Jake privately. Ax managed to ditch the thing in the mountains somewhere near where they’d started, and they fled the immediate vicinity.

 

“Just another normal day in the life of five idiot teenagers with a death wish,” Marco said right after demorphing. “Listen, Ax-man, I understand why you got especially pissed at the abomination this time.”

Tobias found them. Once he perched, the debriefing began. His comrades found it easier to converse in human form, and needed a physical rest from all the morphing and fighting.

 

“So they’re checking the abandoned construction site. We figured they vaporized it all, they probably did too,” Jake reported.

“And nobody gave it a second thought until now?” Cassie wondered.

“Apparently,” Marco said. “It would bring back bad memories for us - we already have more than enough of those. Returning to the site would have raised suspicions,” he observed.

Then a light went on in Jake’s head. “Hey, we might find the blue box!”

((Is that what you call the Escafil device?)) Ax translated.

 

“Yeah, and Jake has already found a black box,” Marco said.

((Does that refer to a female-bodied sexual organ?)) Ax said, having a different kind of trouble with human language.

“That’s what Marco meant, but that part is pink, which he would know if he’d ever seen one in real life,” Rachel shot back.

 _Yeah, Playboy didn't show much detail_ , Jake thought. He had taken Marco some of Tom’s old stuff, including a stack of those.

Marco glowered but refrained from commenting on what color Rachel’s was at this time. The Animorphs didn’t need that tension, or trying to explain low quality human humor to Ax.

“But why do humans call dark brown skin black?” Ax inquired, moving on.

“How people react to differences in skin color is one of the weirdest fucking things about this goddamn species,” Cassie ranted.

 

“Hey, now let’s get the blue box. For Tom,” Jake declared. Making Tom the sixth human Animorph was obviously the first thing they’d do with the Escafil device if they had it. He would be a sorely needed weapon in the Yeerk war, one with as much passion for the fight as they had. Moreover, by moving in morph, his body could be free again now that his mind was reliberated.

 

_If the device had survived the annihilation. If the Yeerks didn't get to it first. If that happened...another ‘game over’ situation the Animorphs didn’t want to think of._

 

            Flying back towards the city, Jake whispered to Cassie. ((Tom figured out I was going on dates with you after missions and meetings. His lips are sealed, but he figured I should tell the parents before they hear it from someone else.))

            ((That is sweet that you admit they’re dates,)) Cassie said first. ((And he has a point. I should probably tell mine.))

            ((But no need for _details_ ,)) he added, to which she readily agreed.

 

            They abandoned construction site was empty. Certainly the Yeerks could move at least as quickly. Maybe they didn’t want to risk operating in daylight, even for this. The Animorphs started searching in other human morphs. “I have found it!” Ax had honed in on a slightly disturbed pile of bricks. The cube shape didn’t quite blend in. Jake stuffed it in a backpack with their non-morph clothes and captured Dracon beams. Ax joined Tobias in the air. The rest walked out of the site, pretending to do so calmly. They’d had more horrors piled upon them, but also were given another opportunity.

 

            “I’m fourteen and I’m glad I survived.” Jake found it tragic that he had to say such things and his parents understood why. They knew they had to leave him to his work, as much as it pained them. “I found some stuff for Tom, though,” he added, going to the basement alone.

 

            “Hey, midget,” Tom greeted.

            “We found the morph device before the Yeerks!” Jake said as he dug out the box with his hand underneath it. Tom reached for the top side. “That’s what it takes, touching it at the same time as someone who already has the power.”

            “Wow! So I’m a morpher now,” Tom said, amazed.

            “Welcome to the club, here’s a membership card,” Jake said as he handed Tom one of the Dracon beams. _A macabre celebration._

            Knowing how much they meant to each other right now, they broke into an embrace that only Homer saw. “That furbucket did make me feel a little better about being stuck down here,” Tom said as the dog came down the stairs.

            “They are such happy animals. There can often be a certain joy in morphing,” Jake said proudly. Homer would be Tom’s first use of the power as well.

            “Upstairs, boy,” Jake called, and the dog followed his example.

 

            “I have some other news too,” Jake told his parents. “Cassie and I have been dating.”

            That didn’t shock them much after what he’d had to tell them these past few months. “I feel better about that than fighting aliens together,” Mom admitted. “This kind of growing up I can deal with.”

            “Good for you…two,” Dad offered.

            “Yeah, I didn’t mind missing that great Raiders-Chargers game,” Jake said happily.

“At least someone thinks women are more important than football,” Mom said playfully. Such things might’ve been a serious argument with Dan and Naomi. “As long as you’re a gentle man with her, I suppose.”

 

Jake spoke in code when he called Cassie. “Did real well with the homework, you have any luck?”

“Yeah, but my parents want to meet yours,” she replied. _Mostly good news_.

“Your birthday’s coming up; we could all talk about it then,” Jake said. “We could spend a whole evening being sweet to each other.”

 

Her parents would come over to his house. Pasta was easy to make vegetarian; they just didn’t put meat in the sauce. “Home court advantage,” Tom observed. “Better not tell them about the Yeerks yet. ‘I'm getting serious with your daughter...while we fight an alien invasion together.’ … Yeah, that goes too far, one thing at a time.” 

 

“Thank you for your wonderful daughter,” Jake said as he offered a handshake. He pulled Cassie close with his other arm to give her a peck on the cheek. They ended up holding hands most of the evening. _Your arms, where she should feel safest_ , Jake had recalled reading. It made sense, since they cared so much about protecting each other.

 

“Watch out for the furry ballistic missile,” Jake joked as Homer came running.

“Don’t worry, I work with big cats, not the little ones,” Michelle told the excitable dog.

“Oh, he doesn’t care about cats as much as UPS truck drivers,” Jake explained. “He likes everybody, but can tell when someone’s an animal person.”

 

“I heard about Tom... That's the worst thing in the world,” said one parent to another

“Sure is,” Steve said tearfully. “Seen it happen, didn’t think it would happen to us.”

“Lot of things are like that,” Walter pointed out. “Maybe Cassie is helping Jake deal with it,” he guessed. He was right in a way; it was something else that they faced together.

“There are worse coping mechanisms...” Steve figured.

 

            “Can I call you Steve?” Walter asked.

            “Yeah.”

            “Steve, got any beer ‘round here?”

            “It’s in the regular fridge over there,” he answered, pointing towards the kitchen.

            Walter picked out a bottle. “Glad to see you got the good stuff. I want to heal weasels, not drink their piss,” he commented approvingly. Both of the men found this highly amusing.

 

            The dinner itself went over well with all concerned. “Nice bread,” Walter said, as he ran a piece through the sauce remaining on his plate. “But you gotta try my chili sometime.”

            “Me and Jake yes, Jean probably not,” Steve figured.

            “Too much flavor for her?” Walter joked.

            “He puts hot sauce on his oatmeal. Instant maple, ginger and Sriracha,” Mrs. Berenson said with exasperation, the only one to not sprinkle red pepper flakes on the current meal.

            “Probably would taste even better with ghost pepper,” Walter suggested.

            “Don’t encourage him,” Jean responded.

 

Walter and Michelle seemed to grudgingly admit their little girl was growing up, though they didn’t know the half of it. “If she gonna be running around with a boy may as well be that one,” Walter announced. “He’s got his head on straight.” _The Yeerks are doing their damnedest to change that,_ Jake thought wryly.

“I do intend to make her feel like a princess,” Jake explained. Cassie smiled, ‘Yes, Prince Jake’ on her lips and wanting to press those lips closer to him.

“I hear he like cooking for her, caint complain ‘bout that!” Michelle added. Tom or Marco might have said something about Jake eating Cassie. Dirty jokes aside, the Berensons weren’t ready to explain what had really happened to Tom. Even without either of those things, Jake and Cassie wanted to keep the crowd small, and would spend time with the other Animorphs later. Being so absorbed in the Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic and then the Animorphs, and being who she was, Cassie didn’t really know many other people.

“Yeah, that's a good sign. He even missed a football game for her,” Jean agreed, it being the women’s turn to share laughs. The two sets of parents seemed to be getting along as well as their children were.


End file.
